Bargains of the Week

Property of the week

Prepare to strip in earnest if you take on Scrimshaws, a Georgian-fronted Fenland cottage five miles from King's Lynn. The wallpaper is probably seven or eight layers deep, but that would be the least of the renovations required. Untouched for years, the two-bedroom cottage has no central heating and a downstairs bathroom, so probably needs extending on two floors at the back to make into a decent three-bedroom house with an upstairs bathroom; and it would certainly need a new kitchen. But its half-acre, triangular-shaped plot provides scope for imaginative renovation.

The village, once on the trunk road to Peterborough, is now by-passed, cutting down traffic considerably. With its walled garden and farmland views, the cottage would make an attractive family or holiday home, say agents Brown & Co (01945 464747), who are giving a guide price of pounds 60,000. Rosalind Russell

More Property, pages 7 & 8

Car of the week

It's Beetlemania of course. Why else would buyers be prepared to pay around pounds 18,000 for an unofficial import of the latest Volkswagen Beetle? In case you have missed all the hype, the Beetle is really a current-generation VW Golf, but with a much more characterful body on top. It's therefore much less practical.

Never mind, it looks so cute. Official imports will start later this year - left-hand-drive only and will also cost somewhere in the region of pounds 18,000.

However, the cheapest I have seen are offered at the by EuroAuto (01628 473311): T-registered, with air conditioning, alloy wheels, a choice of colours and a dashboard-mounted flower vase (honest). All this for just pounds 15,995 on the road. James Ruppert

More Motoring, page 6

Deal of the week

Mobile phone customers who sign up to Cellnet will be offered a Two For Free deal: free evening and weekend calls to two UK fixed-line numbers of their choice, until 31 December 1999.

One million current Cellnet First and Cellnet core digital customers who sign up before the end of June will also benefit. The catch is that you have to sign up for a minimum of one year, with penalties of between pounds 100 and pounds 200 for cancelling before then. But if your lover lives far away, this is the mobile phone for you. Call 0990 214000. Nic Cicutti